Quote:
Originally Posted by Waye Mason
The budget implications of $250-495,000 a year (depreciation and operating) are not insignificant when the Rec budget is only $17 million a year.
Right now HRM has a capital project plan for the next 5 years, total capital budget is about $145 million a year, and this does not include HRMs contribution to this project.
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This is a good point - as you note; some of the other Councillors wanted to know if there was federal or provincial money coming into this. That's a reasonable question all things considered. There was certainly talk of federal money from the things Peter McKay has said.
I also agree with Watts (I know; you all think I'm crazy) - but where her thought doesn't reach its appropriate conclusion is that any approval of any project takes money away from other projects. It's a decision game where council makes the choice. That's part of politics and that is the way it works. So if a bike lane gets differed this year, that's the will of council.
You think HRM is cash strapped - you should see the capital budget for Calgary. The wish list is huge and we scrapped the bottom of the barrel to commit to funding the airport tunnel. There is literally not a dime in the capital budget for the next 7 years - nothing. No new projects can be approved unless we get money from somewhere else. At least HRM appears to have some breathing room - we don't and we have a way bigger tax base.
The one thing that Watts and other members (like Barkhouse) seem to always miss, is that not all things the city operates make money. If everything had to make money, then you would be paying admission fees to Point Pleasant Park and the Public Gardens. You may laugh at that thought - but it would be the only way to pay back the cost of operations. If the city wants to progress, now is the time with the population growth that's been occurring. It's either that or way longer and let Moncton truly become the better city. I'm not knocking Moncton - but they are far more progressive.